I'm personally quite glad that I haven't (yet) seen the usual hype that often occurs surrounding a World Cup, especially where England are involved.
It seems less like the country is setting itself up for a disappointment.
This isn't to say that I'm a party pooper, and that I'm not excited. I am excited, and would love to see England progress unexpectedly toward the latter stages.
However, facts are facts. The best team wins the World Cup, and we are not the best team at the World Cup. We're not even the best team in our group.
As for the squad selection, Hodgson could scarcely have picked a better squad in my eyes. There are players I wouldn't have taken (Smalling and Welbeck) but I wouldn't know who to replace them with.
So yeah, looking forward to it!
No matter which players hodgeson picks he will just set up to play the same old predictave english football from the dark age..
He might have picked young attacking skillfull players but will not use them right, he might aswell have picked the same squad from 2010 for you..
That's probably true. Although, you need the ball, even to play 'dark ages' football. My worry is that he won't even set up to play against the better teams. When we played Italy in the Euros, we literally sat back and let them play in front of us.
It meant that the game finished 0-0, pending a shootout, but honestly I would rather we got a hammering.
(13-05-2014 22:00 )bytor Wrote: [ -> ] (13-05-2014 20:06 )whorelover Wrote: [ -> ]Brazil are always a threat and do well in the WC, they may have lost some of their flair but they've gained more physicality especially in midfield.
As for England, yup Defoe should go ahead of wellbeck and yes, as always over-hyped youngsters who get put in their place come a major tournament.
I'm not sure any players, old or young are being over-hyped. There are players such as Smalling who have not played well enough to be included, but can't say I have heard much praise for any of the squad. I have never known a World Cup where there has been such a lack of expectation from the nation. I'm sure the ghost of 1966 will rear it's ugly head before too long with the pundits but I have yet to hear any misguided optimism that we are capable of winning the competition. We will do well to get out of the group. We have to hope that Italy have their traditional poor start....and that it is poorer than our traditional poor start 
You're right, maybe I should pick my words more carefully
They may not be over-hyped but they certainly won't play to their potential during the WC, take Milner for instance, he's been in and out of the City team all season and every time I've seen him play he's played very well, but something happens during major tournaments, I don't know if its the pressure or an inferiority complex mentality or what >_<
Honestly if I was hodgson I'd just go all guns blazing, theres no pressure on this team to get out of the group stages, I'd play a 4-3-3, Henderson, Wilshere and Gerrard in midfield with Rooney + two up front.
I saw some footage of the protests in Brazil over the world cup. I saw a replica of the trophy being trampled underfoot and someone wearing a guy fawkes mask was burning a panini stickers album. I think if Brazil go out of the competition early who knows what will happen, it's scary, I can see the whole country being torched.
(20-05-2014 14:32 )dominar rygel xvi Wrote: [ -> ]someone wearing a guy fawkes mask was burning a panini stickers album.
If Brazil do well I expect a feel-good factor will help reduce these protests. Although the World Cup should be profitable for Brazil anyway, even despite the money spent of new stadiums.
And they say we dont have any talented Youth the Under 17's Just won the Europeans 2nd time in 4 years
so the players who won the euro's 4 years ago are now 20-21 who are they? and where are they?
Main one was ross barkley we all know where he is also connor Wickham
My tip to win the world cup outright is colombia, got 20/1 in local bookie, also had a double of colombia as winners with radamel falcao as top scorer at a nice 80/1